The Bryston 3BSST2 sitting neat & petite. Note the input sensitivity is adjustable for 1V or 2V.
Just got a chance to hear last night, the brand new Bryston 3B SST2. Actually, it's pronounced as 3BSST Squared.
James of AV Designs was in my place to check out how the PMC's were doing and if he could do anything to aid in set up. Now, this is the sort of high end dealer we need, after spending our hard earned cash, a follow up after sales visit is re-assuring indeed. Just to be clear, I did not nor have any intentions to purchase any speaker products for now. James you do this for most your customers??? I hear?? Ha! Ha!
He'd thought it be nice for me to hear the new, latest Bryston sound, if there was one. The 3BSST2, is rated for 2 X 150W RMS. And once plugged in to my system, via the XLR input(with input sensitivity adjusted to 2V), replacing my ageing Pass Aleph mono blocks, boy, the Bryston is indeed very much more louder and more power full sounding! What's more surprisingly, for a class A/B amp, the tonal quality very much approaches the lucidity and the warmness of the class A Pass Aleph. Bass is robust and very well controlled. The mids are open and smooth, plus the highs are very tidy, well extended and have very relaxed airy nature to it. The music flow, or just plain musicality is very much improved over the older SST series, which I always thought to have a slight analytical quality to it. The unit which we played with just landed only 2 days ago. It's not thoroughly run in yet, brings so much sound promise to the table, so to speak. Through out the listening session, the amp's heat sinks only ran moderately warm to touch.
My brief 2 hours with the 3BSST2 , powering the PMC GB1i, was thoroughly enjoyable. James quoted a retail price of RM15K, which is actually quite attractive, considering that it's a Canadian manufactured product carrying a 20 year parts and labour warranty. And that's no bull.
Note: This is by no means a review, rather it's just a quick sound impression.
Bryston is sold by AV Designs, contact James, Tel: 03-21712828
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8 years ago
5 comments:
Panzer,
From your quick impression (and Hifikaki's quick take of the Pass XP-20), I gather some of the new equipment have jumped head and shoulders above the older ones.
I heard the same when I was in Singapore recently when listening to the Wadia/FM Acoustics active system and the Burmester/Soulution/Magico V3 system.
Not that I'm belittling older stuff, but the good new stuff (terribly expensive!), especially in digital, solid state amplification and cables, have gone ahead in the curve. In high powered amplication, solid state has already trumped tubes.
What the good new stuff have are aliveness and realism in music playback.
Just my unsolicited opinion which is debatable.
Panzer,
You are one of the first person to ever hear the Bryston 3Bsst2 in Malaysia.
When I heard it, I was immediately smitten with its valve like sound. Moreover, it had the slam and impact of a good solid state design. Best of both worlds?
Best of all, it presented music is an unbiased fashion. Able to do most types of musical genre without effort. Music is presented in a unforced, livelike manner, fully textured to bring out the intrinsic detail embedded in the musical score.
It could be my ears but it reminded me of my beautiful sounding Leak ST20...except with much more power and extension.
By my hunch, the 3Bsst2 will be a power amp killer.
IMHO, people looking for the BEST 150w amp at the price, look no further.
I liked this amp very much.
Btw, new camera? Nice pic. Hehehe...
km,
I share your feelings about audio gear progress. While some older stuff has character, therefore has the potential to be considered "classic" in a sense, but most newer products of similar price point would by now have caught up in the areas of higher dynamic range, lower noise floor, better transparency and more even linearity. However, some of the classics like the Marantz 7 or even the McIntosh C22 have that unmistakeable golden hue tonality that makes one forgive all of it's other short comings, and go weak in betweem the knees.
Felix,
I like the Bryston 3BSST2. But if it's the one, would require a more in depth look/listen.
However, having said that, it does qualify itself as a mighty fine product.
The nice picture? What can I say that you have the midas touch!
panzer,
can i audition it? i am still looking for that elusive ss amp...
ML,
I did not keep the Bryston. But if you're keen you can always buzz James.
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